If I Lighten Up A Little Bit
by Lemonly
Summary: Harry always manages to help Hermione lighten up.


_How could you know  
That behind my eyes a sad girl cried  
And how could you know  
That I hurt so much inside  
And how could you know  
That I'm not the average girl  
I'm carrying the weight of the world  
YEAH!_

_So can you get me outta here  
_

It amazed her. Harry always knew when something was wrong. He had once said that it was in her eyes and he only saw it because he knew her so well. He knew everything about her, including things she would never dream of telling her best muggle friend, and Hermione told her everything. She could tell he knew the pain she felt but would never show. She never showed any emotion other than happy, deciding that she had to be strong. Harry knew the pressure that was put on her by everyone. She was head girl, top of the class, the brains behind the Golden Trio. But she also had to deal with so much more. She was singlehandedly planning her cousin's wedding. She was having to put up with Ron trying to get her to do his homework. Ginny had decided that she hated her and was making her life hell. But the kicker was, she took all of it and never complained, never asked for help, nothing. He didn't see how she did it. She needed a break and he would give it to her.

_Take me away  
We'll jump in the car  
Drive til the gas runs out and then walk so far  
That we can't  
See this place anymore  
Take a day off  
Give it a rest  
So I can forget about this mess  
If I lighten up a little bit,  
Then I will be  
Over It  
_

She needed a break. No one but Harry saw this. That's when he was struck with a "brilliant" plan. Finally finding her in the library, hunched over behind numerous books, he clutched his Firebolt a little bit tighter and walked over to her, intent that she would take a break.

"Hey Mione," Harry greeted, taking a seat in the chair next to her. Realizing that he couldn't see her over the books, he rolled his eyes and moved the chair so it was right next to her.

"Hey Harry," Hermione said, giggling slightly at his actions, she looked at him with a smile. He noticed that her laugh and smile didn't reach her eyes anymore.

"Come on," Harry said, getting up and taking her hand.

"I can't. I have so much to do. I have to finish my homework, start on Ron's, put together a proposition for a charity ball—"

"No, you need a break, Mione. You can finish your Defense essay on Monday; it's not due until next Friday. Malfoy can put together the proposition, that's part of his job as Head Boy. Ron can do his own homework, you don't need to. In fact, when we come back, I will personally deliver it back to him, unfinished, and tell him that you won't be doing his work for him anymore. Anything else you have to do can wait until Monday." Harry told her, flicking his wand and sending all over things back to her dorm. He smiled at her and offered his hand, "Now, you're taking a break. Come with me?"

"Anywhere but here," Hermione responded, taking his hand and smiling; Harry was happy to note that this was her first real smile since everything had gone downhill for her. Leading her outside, he mounted his broom and, after much convincing, she got on in front of him. After ten minutes of being in the air, they landed in a clearing. It was rather large and had a pond in the middle and fairies lighting the area.

"It's beautiful," Hermione breathed.

"Only the best for you, Mione. You need time off." Harry said, looking calmly at her.

"I need to lighten up." Hermione responded.

"You just need to take time away everything."

"I need to get over it."

"I'll always be there to help you with that."

"Thank you, Harry."

"It's my duty as your best friend to notice things, Mione. I'm not the only one. The professors are getting worried. Even Snape asked me help you, of course I had to think a lot about those words to find out that's what he wanted. I'll always be there for you, Mione. Anytime you feel like everything's falling apart, or you feel like tearing your hair out, I want you to come and find me and I'll take you away from it for a while."

Hermione smiled sincerely at him.

"You don't know how much that means to me, Harry."

"Anytime, Mione."

_I'm playin the role  
Of the happy girl  
But no one knows  
Inside I'm alone  
But I would never let it show  
I get everyday  
Too much work and not enough play  
Over and over  
It's always the same  
YEAH!  
But you can make everything OK...  
_

Hermione walked through the halls with her well-practiced smile on her face. She couldn't show anything other than the happy girl everyone thought she was. If she did, she would be laughed at for being too emotional. She puts on her happy face and doesn't let it show when she's upset.

"Hey, Hermione, wait up!" Ron exclaimed, running toward her. She stopped, rolled her eyes, and put her bright smile on.

"Yeah, Ron?" she asked as he caught up with her.

"I have practice tonight and then I'm meeting up with Lavender so I won't be able to get to any of my homework tonight. Be a doll and get it done for me. I don't want the teachers suspecting anything so dumb everything down a couple levels, maybe to 'Acceptable'. Thanks Hermy!"

With that, Ron handed her his bag and ran off down the hall, stopping only to give Lavender a kiss.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Hermione managed to yell after him. Under her breath, she added, "I guess I won't be having my free time tonight."

She started to head to the library but changed her mind and made her way to the Common Room when she realized that it was Thursday and there _was_ no Quidditch practice. She needed to find Harry.

_Take me away  
We'll jump in the car  
Drive til the gas runs out and then walk so far  
That we can't  
See this place anymore  
Take a day off  
Give it a rest  
So I can forget about this mess  
If I lighten up a little bit,  
Then I will be  
Over it  
Over it  
_

"I need to get away," Hermione exclaimed throwing her bag down, along with Ron's, in front of the chair Harry had dubbed as his. He looked up at her and down at the bag, immediately spotting Ron's. Without questioning her, he got up and took her hand. Leading her out of the school and down to Hogsmaid, they sat down in Hermione's favorite coffee shop. As they talked over their peppermint mochas, Hermione found herself forgetting the stress that had started to build up. Soon, she was back to her carefree she, the person only Harry ever got the chance to see. As she laughed, he couldn't help but join in. Her laugh was contagious, as was her smile. They were both so rare nowadays that Harry relished every moment her experienced them, memorizing every detail of the moment. He wished everyone else could see this Hermione, the Hermione that only came out to Harry. Maybe one day they would.

_And when the world is closin' in  
I can leave it all and just walk away  
I can always start all over again  
I am closer to a better day  
_

Hermione sat in the library behind her wall of books. NEWTs were approaching fast and the teachers had all doubled the work load. She worked furiously on her Potions essay, re-doing Ron's Transfigurations essay, and doing her other homework, trying to ignore Ginny at the next table talking rather loudly about Hermione. Harry walked into the library and spotted Hermione immediately. Walking over to her, he side-step Ginny about three times, completely ignoring the redhead, and sat down next to Hermione. Seeing Ron's essay, he pulled it away and erased all the marks she had made on it to remind herself of when she went back to it.

"You aren't his essay for him. I won't let you. And you're done with homework for tonight. You're Potions essay is O worthy and the rest isn't due until next Friday. So, you're done for the day." Harry said, taking her hand and sending her things back to her room. He led her outside and down to the lake. Somehow, Harry managed to make all of her stress disappear and managed to convince her to walk away from schoolwork. She didn't know how he did it, but he did. He always knew exactly how to make her days better, and for that she was eternally grateful.

_Take me away  
We'll jump in the car  
Drive til the gas runs out and then walk so far  
That we can't  
See this place anymore  
Take a day off  
Give it a rest  
So I can forget about this mess  
If I lighten up a little bit,  
Then I will be  
Take Me Away_

Once to "their" spot, Harry flicked his wand and a picnic blanket appeared. Fairy lights were hung in the trees surrounding the clearing and candles lit themselves in various places along the ground. Dobby appeared with a basket and then disappeared. The food unpacked itself and Harry led Hermione over to the blanket.

"Thank you, Harry." Hermione said as her plate made itself.

"Anytime, Mione." Harry replied with a smile.

They ate their food; Pasta Carbonaira, salad with Italian dressing, bread, and sparkling white grape juice; and talked and everything and anything that popped into their heads.

"How do you do it, Harry? You manage to make me drop everything and for some reason, I don't resist." Hermione asked, setting her plate down.

"I don't know. Trust me, I'm just as surprised at my ability as you are." Harry responded.

_Take Me Away  
We'll jump in the car  
Drive til the gas runs out and then walk so far  
That we can't  
See this place anymore  
Take a day off  
Give it a rest  
So I can forget about this mess  
If I lighten up a little bit,  
Then I will be  
_

The next meltdown she had was in the middle of Potions. Snape was in a worse mood than usual because of Ginny, Ron wasn't leaving Hermione alone and wouldn't stop berating her for not finishing his essay, and Malfoy kept hitting on her, which was not only pissing Hermione off, but was causing everyone around Harry to cringe every time Malfoy did something, as if waiting for the explosion to happen. Then it did, just not from Harry.

"THAT'S IT!" Hermione exclaimed, slamming her hands down on the table and standing up, making everyone in the classroom jump. "I have had it! I didn't do your essay, Ronald, because it's not mine to do. If you haven't noticed, I'm in more advanced classes than you and, thus, I have a lot more homework than you do. You can take an hour or two away from Lavender to get your own homework done. And, I swear to God Malfoy, if you hit on me one more time, I will curse you into next year."

With that said, Hermione calmly picked up her bag and walked out of the Potions classroom, everyone's shocked faces following her. Harry immediately jumped up and followed her.

He walked into the common room just in time to see her start crying.

"It's okay, Mione. I got you," Harry whispered into her hair as he held her close, "I got you. I'll always have you, Mione. I love you. I love you so much."

"I know, Harry, I know. I love you, too." Hermione replied into his shoulder.

Harry smiled upon hearing the words he had been dreaming of her saying to him one day.

He took her to the RoR and it transformed into a mini version of the Common Room, knowing she wouldn't want to be there when class let out.

Ten minutes later, they were playing twenty questions and Hermione had forgotten about everything that had upset her.

_If I lighten up a little bit,  
Then I will be  
Over It  
Over It  
I am Over It (over it)_


End file.
